The death of an elderly woman who was found attached to a mattress infested with cockroaches, bedbugs, and feces is attributed to terrible neglect by a Massachusetts nurse, daughter, and granddaughter.
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office said in a press statement that Eva Fontes Cardoso, 53, Kayla Cardoso, 31, and Lisa Hamilton, 64, are charged with homicide, caregiver neglect of an elder, larceny, and Medicaid fraud in connection with the death of Dinora Cardoso, 79.
Dinora Cardoso’s personal care attendant (PCA) was Eva Cardoso, the victim’s daughter. The elder Cardoso’s PCA Program surrogate and health care proxy was Kayla Cardoso, who was also the victim’s granddaughter and Eva Cardoso’s niece.
Prosecutors claimed that the women charged MassHealth for services that were never rendered, including those that were purportedly rendered both during Dinora’s hospital stay and after her passing. Furthermore, according to bank documents, Eva Cardoso routinely gave Kayla Cardoso a portion of her PCA check. For her PCA care of Dinora Cardoso, Eva Cardoso received more than $140,000 from MassHealth.
When Eva Cardoso contacted 911 on May 17, 2023, to report that her mother required an ambulance, the matter became public. At a senior living facility, first responders report finding the victim covered in feces, bedbugs, and cockroaches.
According to local Fox affiliate WXFT, the body was plastered to the skin-encrusted mattress because of the extreme temperatures. Authorities had to transport the woman and the mattress to the hospital so that she could be separated from the bed after first responders were unable to separate her from the mattress, according to the site.
According to officials, she passed away at a hospital two days later from sepsis brought on by infected ulcers and necrotizing fasciitis.
According to prosecutors, Hamilton, a registered nurse, stated following a visit seven days before to the 911 call that the woman had been clean, well-cared for, alert, and had her diabetes under control.
They claimed that she didn’t mention cockroaches, bedbugs, feces, or pressure ulcers.
According to investigators, Hamilton’s claim was in conflict with EMT and hospital records that made it evident Dinora Cardoso had uncontrolled diabetes and that the extent of the bug infestation she had endured would have taken weeks or more to develop.
On January 15, the defendants are scheduled to appear in court.
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